Things to look ahead to: ASUS initially introduced its entry into the nascent handheld gaming PC market as an April Fool’s Day joke, however has since confirmed its intention to convey the product to market. The firm hasn’t revealed specs, value, or launch date, however it seems to be much like different makes an attempt to supply a extra highly effective different to Valve’s Steam Deck — with one key distinction.
Asus is the most recent firm to attempt to compete with Steam Deck. Key particulars of the corporate’s ROG Ally PC gaming handheld are nonetheless unknown, however it seems to be much like different current 1080p Windows portables.
Like the Ayaneo 2 and the most recent GPD Win mannequin, Asus’ handheld options an FHD display screen, Windows 11, and a a lot sooner chip than the Steam Deck. Valve’s opponents appear to have constantly averted Steam Deck’s most necessary caveat: its 800p display screen and reliance on a Linux compatibility layer to run video games.
Ally is making an attempt to match Valve’s console-like SteamOS interface with a built-in model of Asus’ Armory Crate software program. We’ll need to see if it permits for straightforward navigation of Windows with no mouse or keyboard.
So far, nevertheless, none of Steam Deck’s opponents have come near its $400 beginning value, with the Ayaneo 2 and the most recent GPD Win model hovering round $1,000. Plus, Valve argues that its weaker {hardware} and lower-resolution display screen are higher for battery life. ASUS hasn’t confirmed pricing or battery life for the ROG Ally, however instructed YouTuber Dave2D that the previous will likely be aggressive.
One of essentially the most distinctive elements of the ROG Ally is that whereas Ayaneo 2, GPD Win 4, and GPD Win Max use AMD’s Ryzen 7 6800U APU, Asus assembled a customized Zen 4 RDNA3 APU. While precise specs like clock velocity are unknown, Dave2D did analyze the die and confirmed that Ally has a 4nm chip. Asus claims it may possibly double the efficiency of Steam Deck.
Another notable distinction from the Ally is its 120Hz display screen — twice the 60Hz of different gadgets. Dave2D additionally famous that Asus’ machine is smaller, lighter, and quieter than Valve’s. A peek underneath the hood additionally reveals that its SSD and analog sticks are simply swappable.
Like the Ayaneo 2, the Ally might be related to an exterior graphics card through its sole USB-C port (an adapter permits for simultaneous charging). The function may defeat the machine’s authentic function of being moveable, however it lets you get pleasure from high-end gaming from the consolation of your mattress.
Interested customers can join at Best Buy to be notified when pre-orders for the ROG Ally go stay.
